MANCHESTER UNITED PAID a total of €17.5 million to sack manager Erik ten Hag, sporting director Dan Ashworth and other members of their football staff, according to the fallen English giants’ latest accounts published Wednesday.

United, the 20-time champions of England, are currently a lowly 15th in the Premier League table following Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Tottenham, with only West Ham and Wolves between them and the relegation zone.

The hope for an upturn in results under new manager Ruben Amorim has failed to materialise since the Portuguese boss replaced Ten Hag, sacked in October just 116 days after United triggered a clause to extend the Dutchman’s contract until 2026.

A costly decision taken by minority owner Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group was compounded by the rapid exit from Old Trafford of Ashworth, who arrived from Newcastle on 1 July following lengthy talks only to leave on 8 December.

The financial expense of those decisions was laid bare in United’s results for the quarter ending 31 December under ‘exceptional items’.

“Exceptional items for the quarter were a cost of £14.5 million (€17.5m),” said a United press release.

“This relates to costs associated with the departure of former men’s first team manager Erik ten Hag and various members of football staff.”

United confirmed in their first quarter results the pay-off to Ten Hag and his staff was worth €12.5m, indicating Ashworth’s departure cost some €4.9m.

The latest financial results show United made a loss of €33.5m over the quarter ending 31 December.

Broadcasting revenue plunged by 42% to €74.4m due to playing in the Europa League this season rather than the more lucrative Champions League.

Unless United go on to win the Europa League they are almost certain to miss out on Champions League revenue again next season.

That is likely to affect the transfer budget handed to Amorim in the close season.

The Portuguese said last week that the club will have to sell before they can buy in the summer window.

In the year since British billionaire Ratcliffe bought a minority stake, a series of unpopular and wide-ranging cost cutting measures have been implemented, including over 200 redundancies.

Ticket prices have also increased despite a supporter backlash, while legendary former manager Alex Ferguson saw his reported €2.4m-a-year-ambassador role axed.

“We recognise the challenges in improving our men’s team’s league position and we are all working hard, collectively, to achieve that,” said United CEO Omar Berrada.

Elsewhere, Arsenal lost €21.4m in the 2023/24 season despite a return to the Champions League helping to post a club record €745m revenue.

The Gunners missed out narrowly to finish second to Manchester City in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals in their first Champions League campaign since 2016/17 before bowing out to Bayern Munich.

A return to Europe’s elite club competition contributed towards a €86m rise in broadcasting revenue and €35m more matchday income.

Commercial income also grew significantly to €263.7m thanks to a renewal of the club’s agreement with stadium and shirt sponsor Emirates and selling naming rights to the training ground to Sobha Realty.

However, wages skyrocketed to €396m from €392.4m.

The figures were an improvement on the €62.9m loss posted in the previous 12 months.

“The club continues to be compliant with all applicable financial sustainability regulations put in place by Uefa and the Premier League,” Arsenal said in a statement.

“Consecutive qualifications for the Uefa Champions League for 2024/25 for both men’s and women’s teams represent a positive continuation of the club’s progress and we look forward to an exciting end to the 2024/25 season.”

Arsenal sit second in the Premier League, seven points behind Liverpool, with 13 games remaining and have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League.

– © AFP 2025